BN wants a grand coalition for Sabah polls, says Zahid

BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says talks are being held on a grand coalition of opposition parties in Sabah. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional hopes to form a grand coalition of all opposition parties in Sabah to contest the coming state elections, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

He said negotiations on the distribution of the 73 state seats among contesting parties were being held with several other parties including Parti Perpaduan Rakyat Sabah (PPRS), STAR, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS).

“InsyaAllah (God willing) we will form a coalition of all these parties together with Sabah BN so that there is only one coalition of political parties in Sabah and we will submit the new deal through a special manifesto for Sabah voters,” he said.

He said negotiations on seat distributions would be finalised at least a week before the nomination day on Sept 12.

Zahid said the BN logo will be used in the Sabah elections but if any particular party (in the coalition) wanted to use their own symbols, the matter would be negotiated.

Zahid, who is also Umno president, announced that the secretaries-general of Barisan Nasional and Umno have been appointed as chief coordinators of the BN campaign for the Sabah state elections.

He said the two men, Annuar Musa and Ahmad Maslan, would help the state BN election machinery, together with other coalition partners.

The appointment of Annuar and Ahmad comes days after a bloc of Sabah Umno divisions expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s state chairman, Bung Moktar Radin, being named the election director. - FMT